The
Presidency of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday evening mourned the
passing of Luisa Estela Fuentes Quijandria, better known as Lucha Fuentes, one of the legends of Peruvian volleyball.
Via social media, the PCM extended its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the renowned athlete.
"We recognize each of her achievements in Peruvian volleyball and her work promoting inclusion and cultural diversity through sport," it stated.
In turn,
the Ministry of Culture expressed similar sentiments, highlighting that Lucha Fuentes is one of the greatest figures in the history of Peruvian volleyball.
The Culture sector recalled that in 2024 it honored her as a Distinguished Personality of Culture for her outstanding work as an Afro-Peruvian woman in promoting inclusion and respect for cultural diversity through sports.
"To her family, friends, and the national volleyball community, we extend our deepest condolences," the government agency stated on its social media channels.
Born in Ica in 1948, Lucha Fuentes was discovered by Akira Kato at the age of 14.
She went on to wear Peru's iconic red and white jersey in seven South American Championships, three Bolivarian Games, four Pan American Games, two Olympic Games, and four World Championships, winning 10 gold medals and five silver.
As a coach, the outstanding athlete also brought success to the country in youth categories at Bolivarian and South American Games.
Lucha Fuentes was a multiple-time South American champion and Pan American silver medalist in volleyball during the 1960s and 1970s.
The top-performing athlete competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games and in the first Volleyball World Cup in 1973, where Peru finished fourth in both tournaments under the guidance of Akira Kato.
She remained on the national team until the 1978 World Championship in the USSR.
In 2000, Lucha Fuentes was nominated by the international federation as one of the candidates for the best player of the 20th century.
Since 2012, she has been a member of the Peruvian Sports Hall of Fame, an honor awarded by the Peruvian Olympic Committee, alongside other greats of Peruvian sport such as Lolo Fernandez, Rosario de Vivanco, Edwin Vasquez Cam, and Cecilia Tait.
In 2019, Lucha Fuentes was the final torchbearer for the Pan American flame at the Lima Pan American Games.
According to information released by America Noticias, Lucha Fuentes's wake will be held today, starting at 11:00 a.m. (local time), at the Santuario Arquidiocesano del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (Archdiocesan Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). It is located at 258 Santorin Street in Lima's Santiago de Surco district.
(END) FHG/MCA/MVB
Published: 5/29/2025